Cirrus Logic CL542X Vesa Local Bus graphics card \ VOGONS

Cirrus Logic CL542X Vesa Local Bus graphics card

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First post, by cleeve555

Posted on 2021-02-09, 05:13

cleeve555 Offline

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I am familiar with ISA and PCI cards from the past. But this is the first VLB video card I have owned.

Questions:
1. What is the 26 pin connector at the top end of the card? There are two jumpers labelled as JP1 and JP2 on another area of the PCB, so cannot additional jumpers.
2. The card shows PWA-MVA-CL542X/SOJ and is running a Cirrus Logic CL-GD5428-80QC-A chip. What is the model of this card please? I thought Cirrus Logic CL542X is a generic term for the card?

Thanks in advance

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Reply 1 of 7, by konc

Posted on 2021-02-09, 08:31

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It looks like the standard feature connector, for example VESA feature connector devices

Reply 2 of 7, by kdr

Posted on 2021-02-09, 09:35

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I doubt you'll ever figure out the card manufacturer. Cirrus Logic would happily supply the CL-GD542x chipset (along with schematics for a complete ISA or VLB card) to any OEM that wanted it. The resulting cards are all essentially identical; the only difference is the layout of the PCB and the choice of memory chips.

Reply 3 of 7, by cleeve555

Posted on 2021-02-10, 06:32

cleeve555 Offline

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Yes, I noticed on eBay the cards all look similar, with just a different layout of the PCB and memory around the main CL chip etc.

Thanks also for the update on Feature Connector, I now recall that term in my distant 90's tech past!

Reply 4 of 7, by douglar

Posted on 2021-02-10, 15:06

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Cards from that era usually have an FCC Id printed on them. Is there one on the back? If there is, you can look it up the vendor on the USA FCC website.

Reply 5 of 7, by Eep386

Posted on 2021-02-10, 16:58

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The 'PWA-...' at the beginning of the part number makes me think Mitac.

Life isn't long enough to re-enable every hidden option in every BIOS on every board... 🙁

Reply 6 of 7, by PC Hoarder Patrol

Posted on 2021-02-11, 04:08

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Your (socketed) board revision seems to closely match the layout of this version from a company called AGATech Corporation

https://fccid.io/JCCMVGA-542X

Last edited by PC Hoarder Patrol on 2021-02-11, 04:13. Edited 1 time in total.

Reply 7 of 7, by Eep386

Posted on 2021-02-11, 04:13

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I was right, a Mitac. The format and font on the BIOS sticker gives it away.
AGATech is apparently Mitac's OEM? Or is it the other way around?

Life isn't long enough to re-enable every hidden option in every BIOS on every board... 🙁

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